News article

•   09/01/2020
•   Created by TÜV AUSTRIA Group

on the Iberian peninsula, in Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Turkey catering trade and tourism enterprises, supermarket chains and retailers could be already certified successfully after the new TÜV AUSTRIA Hygiene Management Standard, which adapted of Austria largest test, inspection and certification enterprise now also for the domestic market and on the basis the national conditions and normative defaults.

Hygiene management: International market acceptance

Pandemics and their effects cannot be prevented by certification. However, the TÜV AUSTRIA Hygiene Management Standard has gained wide international acceptance as an independent procedure and problem-solving instruction. From the management point of view, the new TÜV AUSTRIA standard defines requirements, tasks, duties and processes in order to contain the spread of viral diseases within the sphere of action and responsibility of the organization as far as possible. After the initial certification process, TÜV AUSTRIA auditors and hygiene experts monitor the actual implementation in unannounced on-site monitoring audits, as is also common practice in the food sector.

Unannounced surveillance audits as a quality guarantee

The TÜV AUSTRIA Hygiene Management Standard is based on the same structure as established management systems, such as ISO 9001 (quality management). The starting point is a risk-based approach that leads to the development of an action plan and also takes into account aspects of business continuity management. The High-Level-Structure (HLS) of the hygiene management system allows a single structure including monitoring, but also an integrated application with already existing systems: "We work closely with our hygiene experts to offer companies a practical support. A system that can be actively lived", explains TÜV AUSTRIA expert Anita Reitmaier, responsible for the "TÜV AUSTRIA Hygiene Management System" in Austria. TÜV AUSTRIA insists on unannounced monitoring after certification as an important incentive for companies to continuously improve and consciously implement hygiene management.

Hygiene management as a competitive factor

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, TÜV AUSTRIA has been supporting companies with adapted testing, inspection, training and certification services, Reitmaier explains: "Now we are giving our economy a toolset to minimize the impact of a pandemic like the current COVID-19 crisis in the interest of their customers, guests and staff in the long term".

The VdTÜV, the German Association of Technical Inspection Agencies, emphasized in a recent mailing that independent and recurring inspections contribute to containing the corona pandemic and create trust among guests. In cooperation with TÜV AUSTRIA, further education programs such as the "Certified Pandemic Representative", solutions in the field of property security and hygiene (air, soil, surfaces, water) complement the scope of action of Austria's economy in times of a pandemic: "From re-starting to ongoing operations", Reitmaier knows.

In addition to an examination, expansion and improvement of internal processes, the certified TÜV AUSTRIA Hygiene Management Standard ultimately brings a competitive advantage in the external perception: "The TÜV AUSTRIA certificate confirms that companies continuously develop their social awareness, their sensitivity and business ethics, their measures taken", Reitmaier describes the further benefits of the new TÜV AUSTRIA Hygiene Management Standard, which can be requested immediately at www.tuvaustria.com/cert.

Contact information:

Anita Reitmaier, M.A. | TÜV AUSTRIA Sales Management Systems | TÜV AUSTRIA-Platz 1, 2345 Brunn am Gebirge | +43 5 0454-6244 | anita.reitmaier(at)tuvaustria.com | www.tuvaustria.com/cert